Athens Now 11-18-22

Read Carissa Lovvorn’s Latest: Stitches For Kindness

By Ali Elizabeth Turner

Recently, Carissa Lovvorn released her third book in the Sharing Sisters chil dren’s series, which is based on the lives of her two daughters, Isabelle and Ella. As is the case with the first two, which are enti tled Seeds for Sharing, and Lemons for Blessings, the point of number three is to teach kindness, generosity, and character in a way that is tender and engaging. Carissa has been public about the fact that during her teens she hit a rough spot and quit school. Her father, who is her hero,

about whom she wrote

Honoring Eulie Thurston Goolsby... Rick Roberson honorably served our country in Vietnam, and is a volunteer at the Alabama Veterans Museum...

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A. Slinkard

Lisa Philippart

Anna Hamilton

Eric

Deb

Betts

Kitchenmaster

Roy Williams

Phil Williams

Benjamin Bradley

Jackie Warner

Tim Lambert

Danny Moon

Publisher’s Point

Armistice In Athens

In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birming ham, Alabama, came up with the idea to ex pand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans who had ever served, not just those who died in World War I. Weeks formed a delegation to bring his proposal to Gen. Dwight Eisen hower, who supported the idea of a National Veterans’ Day. It was not until 1954, in Ike’s second year of his presidency that the day was changed to Veter ans Day, and honored all vets, living or dead, all who had ever served.

For many years I looked at Veterans Day as a three-day holiday and not much more. Sure, there were the ubiq uitous mattress sales, but I didn’t need a new mattress all that often, and it was during my three years in Baghdad that taught me to cel ebrate the day in my heart from a place of deep gratitude. I came home in 2007, and it is now 15 years later. I must say that having celebrated many mean ingful Veterans Days, the 2022 Veterans Day is one that I shall never forget.

I had been slated to drive Jim Watson’s 1966 VW bug in the Veterans Day parade, which unfortu nately was canceled due

to rain. But I got a few moments to go tooling around Athens in the bug, and I am pleased to report that I have not lost my touch. As a for mer owner of several Volkswagen automo biles, muscle memory had stayed with me, and I am happy to say the Bug didn’t lug or stall out.

As fun as that was, what started the truly memo rable events of this year’s Veterans Day was the reception at the Alabama Veterans Mu seum given in honor of Poland and all that be leaguered nation did to stop the Nazis, and yes, the Soviets from taking over Europe. Through a set of meetings when the museum’s director, Sandy Thompson, vis ited Poland a few years ago, the Poles who are

a part of the Institute of National Remembrance chose to present the mu seum with a beautiful exhibit entitled “Trails of Hope, Odyssey of Freedom.” The exhibit captures and commem orates their unlikely triumphs in WWII, in cluding the miraculous escape from Poland that was over three hundred thousand strong. “An ders’ Army,” as it was called, is one of the most remarkable parts of WWII history about which most folks have never heard. Interest ingly, November 11 is not just Armistice/Vet erans Day, it is also Pol ish Independence Day. The next day was the Veterans Day luncheon at the museum, spon sored by Athens State University. The fea tured speaker was Mike

a thens n ow a l.com

Durant of Blackhawk Down fame. I have heard him speak be fore, and knew that it was going to be out standing. Mike didn’t disappoint, but what did me in was what happened when the military hymns were played, giving vets of every age and every branch the opportu nity to stand up and be recognized. Ninetyseven-year-old Jack Hunter, who was “on the beach” during Dday struggled valiantly to get to his feet, but couldn’t quite make it all the way. Dr. Karol Nawrocki, PhD, who was part of the Polish delegation, left his seat, came behind Jack, put his arms under Jack’s arms (much like you would for a Heimlich maneuver) and helped him to his feet. To think that a man of the Great est Generation was being supported by a probable descendent of Anders’ Army made this Armistice Day in Athens truly unforget table, and I thank ev eryone, both in America and Poland, who made it so.

Ali Elizabeth Turner Athens Now Information & Inspiration 256-468-9425 ali@athensnowal.com Website: www.athensnowal.com

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(l to r) Mike Durant, Sandra Marks, and Mayor Ronnie Marks at the Alabama Veterans Museum Veterans Day celebration

Honoring Eulie Thurston Goolsby

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

Rick Roberson honorably served our country in Viet nam, and is a volunteer at the Alabama Veterans Museum. Recently, I had the privilege of sitting in Mr. Taylor’s his tory class at Tanner High School the day before Vet erans Day to hear Rick tell some most engaging stories about his adventures. But the “story of his heart” is not about his own life, it is about his grandfather who was killed in France five days before WWI was over, and I promised Rick I would tell that story here in the All Things Soldier column. Here it is, largely told in Rick’s son Jonathan’s words, which will be in italics.

USMC PFC Eulie Thurston Goolsby died in battle on November 5, 1918 and No vember 11, which we used to call Armistice Day, was the day that was supposed to mark the end of “The War To End All Wars.” If he had only been able to live anoth

er five days, this story might be significantly different.

The beautiful cemetery in which Eulie is buried is known as Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, and of the thousands who are bur ied there, General John J. Pershing said, “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.” Because their bodies never came home, in 1928 the U.S. government paid for families to go to France to visit the graves of their loved ones. However, there was something that no one knew about Eulie that his greatgrandson Jonathan Roberson wrote on Memorial Day, and it is important to the Rober son family that our commu nity (which is dedicated to being grateful to veterans for their service of any kind in any campaign) finally come to know.

Jonathan’s words:

On this Memorial Day, I honor the sacrifice of my great-grandfather who gave his life in ser vice of his country in Champagne-Ar denne, France, No vember 5, 1918, just six days before the armistice that ended the Great War. I do this for the first time as, until recently, a

deeply held family secret kept his identity and life history hidden from us. Now that the mystery has finally been solved, I’d like to share with you the story of a life cut short by war and the repercussions for those that survived.

This story begins for me shortly after New Years 2004, in the twilight of my Grandfather Roberson’s life where, on his death bed, he revealed to my fa ther that he had been ad opted by James Thomas Roberson. He was adopted as a young child after his mother, Elizabeth Dupuis,

was only ever told that he died in the Great War and was discour aged from ever raising the topic. To me, this always seemed a convenient story told to a child born out of wedlock in 1917, but with little information to go on, it seemed we might never find the truth. How wrong I was. Now with the aid of DNA and a volunteer ge nealogist, we finally know his name: Private Eulie Thurston Goolsby, USMC.

Born 23 Aug 1899 in

Eulie was the youngest of five children and the only one not to live a long life. His older brother, George, was the last of his siblings to die at the age of 99 in 1994. Ev ery other sibling lived to at least age 89. From what I’ve discovered, it appears the Goolsby siblings were successful in business, ac tive in their community, and a tight-knit family.

More than 20 million oth ers lost their lives in World War I. Many, many more survived but carried their wounds for a lifetime. I’m only now, 115 years later, learning the personal im pact that war had on my own family. Today, I honor the sacrifice of those that gave their lives for our freedoms and pray that someday we will know a world without the scourge of war.

May God bless the Rober sons for this story.

married James sometime in the early 1920s. Of his bi ological father, my grand father

Blythe, Richmond Coun ty, Georgia, to parents William Fulton Goolsby (1860- 1942) and Harriet Ellen Whitaker Goolsby (1860-1931)

On November 12 members of Heritage Protection of North Alabama supported the annual cleanup of the historic Mooresville Cemetery. The weather cooperated to give us a good morning, a lot of work was accomplished with 12 people in attendance. We give a special thank you to local historian John Rankin for providing comments on the history of this 180-year-old cemetery.

Other organizations that supported were the Sons of Confederate Veterans, United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Madison History Association. Residents from the town of Mooresville also contributed their time.

We will work other cemeteries over the next few months and will send announcements ahead.

Calendar of Events

Holiday Open House & Silent Auction November 19

10am - 6pm. Make sure to stop by the Limestone Child Advocacy Center for our Open House & Silent Auction. We have so many great items to bid on this year. We cannot wait for you take a look. All proceeds raised will benefit the LCAC. November 14 - Online bidding opened. November 19 - In-person viewing of auction items available during the Open House.

Local Author John Davis November 29

The Athens Limestone County Public Library will be hosting local author John Davis at 6pm. He will be discussing his latest books and copies will be available for purchase.

2022 Athens Christmas Parade December 1

Presented by Bryant Bank, this year's theme is "A Christmas in Candyland". The parade route is the same as in previous years: West on Hobbs Street, South on Jefferson Street, East on Market Street, South on Marion Street, West on Washington street, South on Jefferson Street, and ending at the Hometown

Silver Sneaker Flex™ Classes

Every Tuesday and Thursday

Strength and Balance classes meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. beginning 12/7/21. Classes are open to all. No signup needed. Classes will meet in the Lighthouse Building behind Emmanuel Baptist Church at 1719 Hwy 72W. All equipment will be provided. Donations accepted. For information: jhunt9155@gmail.com or 256-614-3530.

Senior Lunch Matinee Series

Third Thursdays Monthly

We are back to full speed with our third Thursday Senior Lunch Matinees and first Saturday Early Dinner Shows, already scheduled through Dec 2022. All remaining 2022 public events will sell out in advance, welcoming attendees from 17 adjacent counties, and 2 neighboring states. Our Senior Lunch Matinees provide guests with a complete lunch including drink and dessert, and a one hour live show featuring one of our roster of 8 of the best regional oldies groups and performers in rotation throughout the year. E-mail reservations are required in advance for all Lunch Matinees and Early Dinner Shows. web: www.yesterdaysevents.com

FB: www.facebook.com/YesterdaysEventCenter

Shopping Center. The deadline to enter the parade is November 17. Call the Chamber at 256.232.2600 for more info.

Athens Limestone Tourism Hosts North Pole Stroll December 1 - 31

The 2022 Athens North Pole Stroll will return to Big Spring Memorial Park in the Beaty Historic District during the month of December and this year, we have Electric Power! Each tree sponsored by area agencies, groups, businesses, and families will sparkle to life after dark and will be decked with a variety of decorations and themes. Sponsor a tree in honor of a loved one or to promote your business! Only $100 and we provide the tree! 256-232-5411 for info.

Sippin' Cider Festival December 10

2:00pm - 8:00pm. Downtown merchants will be open late for shopping and dining. While shopping, patrons can sip on cider and vote for their favorite! Merchants are competing for the coveted Cider Cup and bragging rights for the year.

2022 Bells of Christmas Holiday Home Tour December 11

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Athens Ladies Civitan Club is pleased to announce the 2022 Bells of Christmas Holiday Home Tour from 1 to 5pm. Six beautiful homes ranging in style from a 1830's restored Federal/Greek Revival home in downtown Athens to a modern take on a traditional farmhouse complete with "Smart" house features will be open to guests. The fee for the tour is $25 and may be purchased at Pimentos and Square Clock/Epiphanys both located on the downtown square, at SheaLeigh's Gifts at MEWS on Hwy 72 West or any house on day of the tour. For more info, call Carolyn Stair at 256-233-0258 or Dianne Newby at 256-777-2155. Proceeds benefit programs for Limestone County children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, college scholarships for local youth and other worthy community causes.

Digital Literacy Classes

Athens-Limestone County Public Library will host a series of Digital Literacy Classes in conjunction with Calhoun Community College & Drake State Community & Technical College. Classes will boost your digital confidence & provide you with skills and training needed in today’s job market. Courses include: Computer & Internet Basics, Email, Windows OS, & Microsoft Word®. M-W 9:00 –12:00 or M-W 1:00 – 4:00. Classes start January 24th. Call us at (256) 306-2830 to learn more.

What Makes Ronnie Roll Triumph Of The Spirit

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

We were just coming off of a most memora ble set of Veterans’ Day celebrations in AthensLimestone County, and Mayor Marks had much to say about his grati tude for all the work that had gone into the various events. “It was a great day,” he said, and the simplicity of his statement said it all. He especially enjoyed the Athens Middle School and Athens High School events. “You could tell it meant something to them (the students),” he said. There was a partic ularly descriptive phrase he used: “They were re spectful.” Respect isn’t something that shows up as readily these days as it did when we were young, and when it does, it’s like a drink of cold water in a hot desert.

The mayor went on to say that he especial ly enjoyed the color guard and the JROTC. “It brings all the things about service, camara derie the ‘band of broth

ers’ together,” he said. He then added, “That’s what you hope you’ll pass on.”

Mayor Ronnie moved on to the topic of the City of Athens finishing out the fiscal year in the black, which is always a good thing. That be ing said, there were sev eral things to still figure out. “We need to get a firetruck,” he said. City Council also has to de termine how it is going to distribute funds to all of the totally worthy agencies in the commu nity. “There are more requests than we have money for, and they are worthwhile requests,” he said. I certainly don’t envy him or the City Council in trying to fig ure that out.

The mayor went on to tell me that during the foot ball game this weekend, he was reminded of both the military service as well as the raw courage of a Steelers NFL great and wounded warrior by the name of Rocky

Bleier by something that had been shown on the network. Rocky Bleier and Mayor Ronnie were in Chu Lai, Vietnam at the same time. They have actually met at an event where Rocky was speaking and talked at length about their shared experiences fighting for our country.

However, what Mayor Ronnie told me next just made me cringe at the thought of the kind of pain Rocky endured after he was wounded in Chu Lai. A grenade had exploded, wounding Rocky seriously enough to be airlifted to a hos pital in Japan, where he stayed for 6 weeks. While in Tokyo, a guy who had lost both legs and one of his arms was the one who encouraged Rocky the most, although the guy had no idea just how much Rocky had been struggling. After exten sive rehab and return ing to the States, Rocky decided to try to return to the Steelers, and the

More than a half-century ago, NFL legend Rocky Bleier came back from being badly wounded in Vietnam, returned to play for the Steelers, and today "pays it forward" by encouraging others.

amount of pain that he was in caused his coach es to put him on the in jured reserve list, with little hope of him ever actually playing again. Practice after practice he showed up and played his heart out while in ag ony, but the idea of nev er playing again was far more painful than what he was experiencing in his body.

Finally, it was discov ered that there was still a piece of shrapnel in Rocky’s foot, and he had actually been attempt ing to play football with that inside of him! He had surgery, it was re

moved, and he went on to help the Steelers win the Super Bowl several times. Rocky is a NFL Hall of Fame induct ee and a motivational speaker. He also spends a great deal of his time looking out for veter ans, encouraging them as he was once encour aged when he needed it most. “He shows the tri umph of the spirit,” said the mayor. “Indeed, he does,” I marveled. We could have talked all day about our veterans, but once again it was “that time,” the time when we pray, and then Ronnie got ready to roll.

For Veterans Day, the Athens Applebee's designated a table to remember all who have served

Every once in a while I’m re minded how much we have in this nation. You would think that I wouldn’t need to be reminded with as much as I have seen and experienced in my lifetime, but nonetheless, sometimes it bears repeating and reminding. I’ve seen pov erty and deprivation here in the U.S., but quite often those have been the results of life choices made, or individual ized circumstances. I’ve also been smack in the middle of cultural poverty and depriva tion and seen what it’s like for a whole culture to try and claw its way out of tyranny. We as a nation have so much to be thankful for, yet all the same, we still need to say it, recall it, and even dwell on it once in a while to maintain an appropriate level of grateful ness.

I will never forget living for a year among the Afghan people at the beginning of the war. It was an unconventional assignment well away from any base. We grew beards and lived out among the people of the northern provinces of Af ghanistan. Everything we had was unique to the people we were there to work with. The most insignificant hand tool, or wristwatch, or radio, was often a wonder. I have some distinct memories of catch ing a glimpse of our level of wealth versus that of the av erage citizen of that war torn nation.

We used to receive our resup ply at an old Soviet airstrip in the dark of night. The area was filled with old landmines and unexploded ordinance, so we had a general rule that we did not step off the old crusty tarmac into the tall grass and scrub that surrounded

Rightside Way Chasing Trash Into A Minefield

by Phil Williams

the airstrip. We would set out our infra-red strobes, and the special operations logisticians would kick parachute bundles out of an MC-130 Combat Talon. Usually the bundles dropped pretty neatly down the tarmac, but I remember one night watching by night vision goggles with my coun terpart who served as a Special Forces Team Leader as one of our bundles floated off the line and well out into the tall grass with all of its explosive hazards. I asked him, “Okay, Don, how bad do we want that one?” “Not bad enough,” he said. “I agree.”

We found out later that it was a good move on our part. It turns out that a well-meaning fam ily support group from back home had shipped over boxes of ladies’ shoes to give away and that’s what was out in the minefield. But I feel certain that despite the risk of losing life or limb, those shoes made it to the local bazaar and onto someone’s feet. Minefields were no deterrent when there were treasures like shoes to be had.

On another of those night re supply operations, I heard a commotion with a great deal of yelling and cussing. I went running down the tarmac thinking that one of our guys was in trouble. Suddenly, that same guy broke light discipline and flipped on his white light, and I could see him pointing his weapon at several Afghan civilians. “What are you do ing?!” I yelled. “Sir, do you have any idea how many cases of our MREs just got thrown out in the tall grass?!” Appar ently, in the dark of night some of the locals were pilfering our supplies before we could even begin to round them up.

Parachute drops of women’s shoes, people pilfering our supplies, living out of a bucket well, and no electricity. For

nearly a year I saw the other side of the world. The side that has nothing. But the incident that got me the most -- the time when it really hit home hard that I come from a blessed and much favored place -- was the day I suddenly realized that I didn’t know where our trash was going.

We had been on the ground for several months, living in what we called a “safehouse,” operating off of generators, riding horses and old Toyota trucks. Living small by U.S. standards but large compared to the locals. Suddenly it hit me: “Where is all of our trash going?” Water bottles, MRE wrappers, cardboard, and ba sic garbage were just the detri tus of an American team. But where was it all?

So I got one of my interpret ers and we asked the Afghan cook. He said that he took all of the trash out every day and dumped it out behind a bro ken down wall in an empty lot across from the safehouse. I thought surely we had cre ated a dump! The Americans came and started a landfill! I figured by then we had to have mounds and mounds of debris rotting in the sweltering Af ghan sun and dust. I told him to take me out there and show me, but when we got there, I was amazed because there was nothing. No trash, no rotting food, no empty water bottles, no cardboard debris, nothing. I looked at him and through my interpreter I asked where all of the trash was. His answer will stick with me for the rest of my life.

He said the people watched for him every day, and whenever he came out of the Americans’ house carrying trash they fol lowed him and picked over it all and took everything. Every last scrap that we threw out, the locals took and reused. Keep in mind, we were liv

ing in what the Army referred to as “austere conditions.” I lost 30 pounds due to lack of food and dysentery. We could hardly get those resupplies I told you about. We Americans pined daily for the ability to be at home where every light switch meant light, and every store had food, and as long as you were physically able you could always find work even if it meant just flipping burgers. But even then, even in those “austere conditions,” we generated trash that be came someone else’s treasure. It was a lesson that I hope to never forget.

You see, in this country we may have gripes. We may have nasty politics. We may have irritants and upsets. But generally speaking, we are far better off than the majority of the world who would love to have what we throw away. But too many have forgotten that fact. There is an air of expectancy, especially among the left, that indicates that too many U.S. citizens are just plain spoiled.

Any society that can waste time debating the use of pro nouns, or trying to justify letting men compete against women, or actually fighting to prevent states from passing laws to prevent life-altering surgeries from mutilating chil dren in the name of “gender affirming care” is clearly filled with those who are desperate ly searching for problems to fit their solutions.

The other day I went, once again, to a fast-food location only to find that the drive-thru was open but the dining room was closed for lack of staff. Separately, a friend told me that she usually has a sales staff of 12 but is currently down to just 2. Sure, our unemploy ment numbers are down, but the workforce participation rate is also way down meaning

that we are a nation that has people who are accustomed to being paid not to work. The Biden Administration recently attempted to pay off the student loan debt of millions. Apparently it was thought to be just too hard for students who took out a loan and signed a contract to follow through on their pay ments.

I could go on, but this is not intended to be a gripe ses sion. I’m just quoting the headlines of our society. But those headlines indicate that a nation that has so much has apparently forgotten how little others have.

Let’s not forget that in some places in this world there are folks who will chase a box of ladies’ shoes out into a minefield. There are those who will be glad to have our trash.

We live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. We need the focus to be on what is real, what is lasting, what is meaningful. And in doing so let’s not forget who we are.

Phil Williams is a former state senator, retired Army colonel and combat veteran, and a practicing attorney. He has served with the leadership of the Alabama Policy Insti tute and currently hosts the conservative news/talkshow Rightside Radio M-F 2-5 p.m. on multiple channels through out north Alabama. (WVNN 92.5FM/770AM-Huntsville/ Athens; WXJC 101.FM and WYDE 850AM – Birmingham/ Cullman) His column appears every Monday in 1819 News. To contact Phil or request him for a speaking engagement go to www.rightsideradio.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.

Slinkard On Success

“V” Is For Vision

by D. A. Slinkard

We have come to the let ter “V” in our series and the word is “vision.” I am convinced that the differ ence between people who succeed and those who do not comes down to those who have a vision for their life and those who do not. My go-to book for living my life is the King James Bible and I am reminded of Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the peo ple perish…”

We have many people liv ing their life like they are a ship without a rudder. They are constantly drift ing each day of their life and are being tossed about with no constant direction for their life. Most often when people fail in life it is because they did not have the proper vision needed to succeed. What does your vision look like for your life?

Are you thriving or are you barely surviving? The Bi ble tells us that the people with no vision will perish. If you are getting bad re sults in your life, maybe it is time you are honest with yourself about the vision for your life. There are times I must go back to the drawing board and ensure my vision is correct. Have you done this lately?

Often, I think about the vision I have for my life, and I think about who I am and who I want to be. Therefore, I believe it to be utterly important that we write our goals down twice daily. The more we see our goals, the more we become focused on achiev ing those goals. When we know what we want to

achieve, we are more apt to take the necessary steps to obtain our desired results. If you have not been doing so, start today and commit to writing your goals down twice daily. Otherwise, they are mere dreams that will not be fulfilled.

The problem is in our in ability to be disciplined to write down our goals, and the other problem is in our clarity. We lack a true vi sion or understanding of what we need to do to ac complish our goals in life. We plan for the best-case scenario when we should plan for the struggles in life. Our way of life has changed drastically, and this has clouded our vi sion. Two hundred years ago people went to work so

they could survive. There was the concern of where the next meal would come from. Now, we go to work so we can buy bigger and better toys. Many of us do not even think about where our next meal will come from.

Our world is evolving but the one thing that does not change is God’s Word; yet we have changed the value system of what God’s Word means to us. I can remem ber being a kid and busi nesses were shut down on Sunday as everyone was at church. What has hap pened? Our vision has changed.

People talk about our country going to hell in a handbasket, and I believe it is because we no longer

fear God. The vision of what God expects from us is not the same vision we expect for our lives. Too many people go to work to be able to enjoy the few short years after retirement when they should be think ing about how they can live for God. If we are to please God, we need to have the proper vision for our lives to successfully be pleasing and honoring to God Al mighty.

Sadly, this is not a popular message because of what our culture has taught us. The world has changed our views on the expecta tions of God, and this has changed our vision. We need to redefine our defi nition of success and refo cus our vision. If we revisit

our goals and refocus on our vision, we can make a change in our lives. The choice is ours to make, but we must first make the decision for the change to occur.

After the decision is made, then it is time to clarify what we want to see hap pen. I love beginning with the end in mind and then working backwards. If you know what you want to achieve, it will make it easier to backtrace the necessary steps to achieve your goals. The biggest problem is too many peo ple do not know where they want to go with their lives. Figure this out, get the vision, map out the steps, and then achieve it. However, you must first have the vision in mind.

D.A. Slinkard would love your feedback. You can contact him at da.slinkard@gmail.com

The mission of Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful is to empow er our citizenry to take greater responsibility for the care of their en vironment. For those who see an area in need of care, we are here to stand beside you. We are here to provide you with the tools you need to make it happen. You bring yourselves and all who will come with you, and we will provide lit ter grabbers, gloves, safety vests, trash bags, and buckets. We will be there to support you and even haul away the trash. It is not enough to see something that needs to be done and to call upon someone else to come do it. We must all do everything we can and roll up our own sleeves to make it hap pen.

I am reminded of a sto ry about a man named Sam. He was a good man. He worked hard, attended his church, and helped his community whenever he was asked. He loved his family and friends very much. While he struggled with his own weaknesses and shortcomings, as we all do, he tried to live a good life and was genu inely concerned for the welfare of others.

One night Sam had a dream. In this dream, he stepped out of his home into a grand noonday cel ebration. All his friends, family, and neighbors surrounded him with

Clean, Green And Beautiful If You Want Something Done…

by Benjamin Lawrence Bradley - Executive Director, Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful

cheers, balloons, and party hats. A feast fit for a king was laid out on his left and to his right, a crowd of children ran and played, jumping in a bouncy house, splashing in a swimming pool, and screaming passed him on a rollercoaster. Sam’s neighborhood had been transformed into a won derland.

“What is going on?” he finally managed to ask. “You’ve won the lot tery!” “You've won!”

“Congratulations!” They all cheered. A dozen hands patted him on the back, hoisted him upon their shoulders, and car ried him through the streets with all the pomp and celebration of a hero returning from war.

In the rich blue sky above, billowing clouds parted and Sam heard a soft voice. “What would you do with such wealth?” he was asked solemnly. “What work are you will ing to do to make good things come to pass?”

“Anything,” Sam replied in awe.

“I grant you a wealth of time and call upon you to get to work.”

Sam awoke energized. He thought of his home town. The little city that he had grown up in and loved so dearly. He thought of all the things he could do. He could re build the old church that had long needed repairs. He thought of the old baseball field that had be come a dumping ground.

Sam imagined cleaning it up and building a new diamond with a dugout

and stands for all the kids to play. He thought about the old downtown and things he could do to re vitalize the vacant build ings and breathe new life into the town square. He envisioned a return to the bustling streets that he remembered as a child. He mapped out new neighborhoods where the poor could have safe and comfortable places to live. On and on he became consumed with his plans. On and on he planned for the day that he would win the lottery and finally be able to get to work. Years went by as Sam sat and prepared everything he could think of to be ready for the day he could begin.

As Sam grew older, he began to lose faith in his dream. Day after day he sat crestfallen, thinking that if he only had that money, he could have made all those good things happen. In his last years, he lay broken hearted until one day, he

finally died.

As the mortal world fad ed from his eyes, Sam found himself alone on a green knoll of grass over looking a magnificent view of hills and streams. Miles of orchards and wildlife were framed by endless ranges of majes tic mountains. A true vi sion of heaven. The sun was high overhead with a familiar spread of billow ing clouds puffing across the royal sky. Once again, the clouds parted, and once again Sam heard the same voice that he remembered from long ago.

“What have you done with the wealth of time given to you?”

“I planned for every good thing I could think of,” Sam said. “Many things that would have improved the lives of everyone around me.”

“Yes, but what did you do?”

Sam stood flabbergast ed. He had planned it out so perfectly. All he needed was to have that money and everything would have been easy.

“I don't understand,” he said. “Why didn't you let me win the lottery?”

“Samuel, my son,” the voice in the clouds re plied. “You have to buy a ticket.”

Become a Fan

Cooking with Anna Redeeming Grace

by Anna Hamilton

In my last article, I focused on the first section of Jonah Chapter 2 Verse 8. Today, I want to focus on the rest of the chapter that helps bring your focus back on redeeming the grace the Lord offers all of us. “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.” Jonah 2: 8-9

What brought Jonah to speak these words? What made Jonah face the fact that he was throwing away the grace that God was offering to him? Well,

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed

5 Tbsps. olive oil

1 ½ lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

for Jonah, he was in the belly of a giant fish. I am literally scared to death of large fish, dark water, and the fear of what is lurking below. Jonah lived in the belly of that fish for 3 days! I am in awe that he made it that long; that within itself is a true example of God’s grace.

Jonah’s realization of grace came from the depths of the belly of a stinky fish. What will be your stinky fish belly? My stinky fish belly has come this year while we together studied 1 Corinthians 13. I realized just how much I was discounting the love, grace, and mercy God has shown me. I had chosen

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two foil-lined baking sheets with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Slice brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine sprouts, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Place onto the foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down and roast for 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine cubed squash, 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Toss to mix. Place butternut squash in a single layer on the other prepared baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way

through baking, until softened. You can totally roast the sprouts and squash at the same time on separate baking sheets. I did and it made the recipe easy peasy.

In a large bowl, combine roasted sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, feta and cranberries. Mix gently to combine. For more sweetness, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of maple syrup.

Health and Fitness

How Does Sugar Affect The Human Body

by Danny Moon

Why do sweet things taste so good?

Sugar provides our bod ies with energy (in the form of calories), which is why we have evolved to find it so deli cious. Although we need calo ries, too many can make us gain weight, which can cause weight-related illnesses, like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Artificial sweeten ers were invented to taste like sugar but have almost no calories; the goal was to have a sweetener that we could eat more of without developing diseases or gaining too much weight. However, artificial sweeteners sometimes have negative effects on the body and brain that sugars do not. Our brains, stomach microbes, and pancreases process artifi cial and real sugars different ly which can cause us to eat more, gain more weight, and have a harder time digesting the real sugars that our bod ies need. Artificial sweeteners should be consumed in mod eration because they “trick” our brains and bodies into thinking they are treats, which can sometimes have negative health consequences.

Why do Sweet Things Taste so Good?

To understand why we like artificial sweeteners, we must first understand what makes us like real sugar. Sugar pro vides energy to our bodies in the form of calories, so we, like most other creatures, have evolved to enjoy it. Sugar comes in a variety of forms, such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose, but there are many more. Sugar increases activity in certain parts of our brains, which means that those parts become excited due to the incoming nutrition. Brain ac tivation happens because of electrical activity that occurs within cells called neurons.

All brain activity occurs in the form of electricity that is sent down small “wires” or “tun nels” in the neurons called axons. The electrical signal through the axons then results in the release of brain chemi cals called neurotransmitters. The “messages” that we get from the brain are communi cated in the form of these neu rotransmitters. Neurotransmit ters set off reactions that lead to many different sensations that we feel, one of which is hunger.

In humans, our need for calo ries affects the way our brains work, too. Different parts of our brains get excited by sugar when we are hungry vs. when we are not. Unfortunately, our love of sweets can be bad for us when we are not in survival situations and can sometimes cause us to eat more than we need to. The more sugar, or sucrose, that we eat, the more we start to crave it. This is especially true when we are children, because as kids, we need lots of calories to grow big and strong. Some people’s brains get more excited than average by looking forward to eating, which can lead to over eating. It is perhaps this ten dency for eating too much that led to the invention of lowand zero-calorie sweeteners, such as saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. Although artificial sweeteners have fewer calo ries, which can help us lose weight and lower our blood sugar in the short-term, there are other health problems that these artificial sugars cause that may reverse these benefi cial effects in the long-term.

Brain Reactions to Real vs. Artificial Sugars

Although sometimes we can not taste the difference be tween artificial and real sug

ars, despite the fact that they are actually very different, our brains and bodies can react to the differences. Our bodies can sometimes even detect very small differences between types of sugars and respond differently to each. Artificial sweeteners are highly concen trated -- meaning that for the same physical amount, they can be between 200 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar! Even though artificial sugars are sweeter than real ones, they are nearly calorie-free. In some studies, scientists have even found that people prefer the taste of artificial sugars over real ones. However, there is also data to suggest that there is greater brain activa tion in response to real sugar than to saccharin (a common artificial sugar), and this effect is particularly strong when people are hungry.

Our brains and bodies have different responses to artifi cial sweeteners and sugars because these substances are different from one another at the level of microscopic mol ecules. Reward pathways are like racetracks for neurons in our brains that when excited result in the release of chemi cals (such as dopamine, a com mon neurotransmitter) that make us feel good. Think of how good it feels to eat when you are hungry, or to have ice cream or cookies for dessert! Consuming sugar activates our reward pathways, which explains from a neurological perspective why we like the taste of it so much. Artificial sweeteners only partially acti vate reward pathways, as they are sweet (which we enjoy for pleasure), but do not have the calories that we need for en ergy.

By not fully activating reward pathways, artificial sweeteners

can be potentially harmful be cause they may, in a way, trick our brains, causing us to over eat in order to feel satisfied, or to crave even more sweetness later on. After consuming ar tificial sweeteners, people ex perience less pleasure, which should decrease appetite, yet they tend to eat more, and to choose foods that have a high er calorie count than people who consume nothing sweet, or those who consume real sugar. Artificial sweeteners may make us crave real sugar even more, whereas cutting out sugars and artificial sweet eners from one’s diet can lead to a decrease in sugar cravings in as little as one week.

Digesting Real vs. Artificial Sugars

When we eat sugar, it moves from the digestive system into the bloodstream, increasing our blood sugar levels. The pancreas has the job of secret ing hormones (such as insulin) into the blood to regulate our blood sugar levels. The pan creas is like a factory that turns sugars into something our bodies can use, and the facto ry slows down when the sugar or sweetener does not give us much energy. Artificial sweet eners do not increase blood sugar levels or insulin produc tion, like real sugars do. This causes the pancreas to respond differently to the artificial sugars, because they give the pancreas nearly nothing to re spond to. The consumption of artificial sweeteners can there fore lead to abnormal pancreas functioning and insulin levels, in addition to changes in other functions that affect our me tabolism, which may put us at risk for related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. We all have microorganisms in our digestive systems that help break down the food we

eat. Together, they are called the gut microbiota. The gut microbiota react differently to artificial sweeteners than to real sugar. These organ isms become less able to break down real sugars the more that they are exposed to artificial sweeteners. A study conducted on mice showed that consumption of an artifi cial sweetener led to changes in the gut microbiota that de creased the ability of the mice to digest sugars. Not being able to break down sugars is a bad thing, because this change in the microbiota can change the amount of nutri ents are bodies are able to take out of the food we eat. This means that we might not get the vitamins and minerals that we need, even when we do eat the right foods.

Needing More Sweetness and More Calories

Artificial sweeteners do not provide the calories or glu cose that our bodies need, and they do not activate our bodies’ insulin production— which can lead to us needing to eat more calories in order to feel full. Even though our brains and bodies process real and artificial sugars differ ently, sweetness of any kind increases the brain’s tolerance and desire for sweetness. That means that the more sweet things that you eat, the more you will have to eat in the fu ture in order for your brain to know that something is sweet and contains the calories nec essary for energy. Craving calories and sugar because the brain has become tolerant to sweetness is a dangerous combination that can lead to over-eating, which can then lead to unwanted weight gain. So remember the effect of sugar on the body next time you grab a snack.

PlayAction Sports Fall Wrap-Up, Winter Start-Up

by Tim Lambert

Tune in for the PlayAction Sports Update, three times each weekday on 1080 AM WKAC. Visit us online at www.pasnetwork.net! email: playactionsports@hotmail.com

Congratulations to James Clemens' Jack Mitchell and Gracee Prince for signing golf commit ments to Alabama and Calhoun. The Jets' Col ten Payton and Andrew Lawrence signed with Wallace State and East Tennessee State base ball. Luke Davenport will play baseball at Au burn. Elkmont's Mykell Murrah is also on his way to Wallace State for baseball. Lindsay Lane's Max Morrison and Ray Anderson signed with Calhoun and Northwest Shoals Community Col lege baseball teams re spectively while Lind sey Murr is headed to Blue Mountain College to play basketball. East Limestone's Lily Hosmer inked with UNA soc cer and Shauna Fletcher signed with UAH bas ketball. Athens High's Nolen Wolfe is going to Samford to continue his golf career.

James Clemens' Jamal Mayers and Gio Lopez were chosen to play for the North All-Star foot ball team. The annual North-South game will be played on December 16 at Hancock-Whitney Stadium at the Univer sity of South Alabama in Mobile.

Football and volley ball wrapped up for lo cal teams. Athens ended their year with a gutsy 32-31 come-from-behind victory over Russellville. East Limestone put the wraps on their regular season with a 45-6 win over Mae Jemison. The Indians were defeated in

round one of the Class 5A playoffs by Arab 5414. Athens Bible School swept Brilliant in round one of their Class 1A Super Regional vol leyball tournament; the Lady Trojans advanced to play Meek where they were eliminated. Athens blanked Huffman and moved on to a meeting with Mountain Brook, who took out the Lady Golden Eagles. Clements lost to Danville, James Clemens fell to Hoover and Lindsay Lane beat Westminster-Oak Moun tain and Holly Pond to advance to the semifinals with Pleasant Valley, who defeated the Lady Lions; Lindsay Lane topped Fyffe in the third place match to qualify

for the state tournament and were eliminated by G.W. Long in round one. At sectional cross coun try meets, Athens Bible School's Jack Bradford finished third in 1A-2A boys; the Trojans also came in third as a team with the girls placing second. Elkmont's Alex Kuntz was second in 3A boys and Clements' Emma O'Connor finished third on the girls' side. Athens High's Catherine Johnstone was runnerup in 6A girls. James Clemens' Luke Alver son and Kylie Gero were second-place finishers in 7A boys and girls as both Jets teams also were run ners-up. The Ardmore boys came in second as a team in the 5A meet at

Scottsboro. At the state meet, Elkmont's Alex Kuntz posted a third place in 3A boys. James Clemens' boys were fifth in 7A, led by Luke Alver son's tenth place finish; the Lady Jets were sixth with Emma Bothern fin ishing 12th. Ardmore's boys were seventh in 5A. The ABS boys came in eighth in 1A-2A, with Jack Bradford finish ing 12th; Destiny Burns and Kaylie Key placed sixth and seventh for the sixth place Lady Trojans.

Lindsay Lane's Sydney

Perkins was 15th in 1A2A girls. Athens High's Catherine Johnstone also came in 15th in 6A girls. The Calhoun women's basketball team domi nated Motlow State 10043 in the school's first game in 21 years. In high school action, James Clemens’ girls topped Central-Phenix City 4338. Against Grissom, the Jets held off the Tigers 49-47; the Lady Jets had an easier 64-36 victory.

Lindsay Lane's boys held off Clements in over time 53-47, but the Lady Colts ran to a 63-33 vic tory. Lindsay Lane's girls were 53-24 winners over Oakwood Academy.

James Clemens' boys got by Sparkman 49-46.

East Limestone's varsity boys beat West Lime stone 54-51 while the Lady Indians also won 48-32. The Lady Indians also came out with a 6155 win over Priceville.

West Limestone's varsity girls knocked off Brewer 55-38 and Moody 43-38.

Elkmont's girls came up short to Rogers 49-45. Tanner's boys beat Cle ments 65-54, but the Lady Colts galloped to a 76-18 victory. Ardmore's boys turned back Athens 48-33; the Lady Golden Eagles got by 45-42.

Lindsay Lane bowling teams defeated Westmin ster.

James Clemens' Gracee Prince (Calhoun golf), Colten Payton (Wallace State baseball), and Andrew Lawrence (East Tennessee State baseball) sign letters of intent. Courtesy Photos

Athens High's Nolen Wolfe signs letter of intent with Samford golf

East Limestone's Shauna Fletcher signs letter of intent with UAH basketball

Read Carissa Lovvorn’s Latest: Stitches For Kindness

by Ali Elizabeth Turner

continued from page 1 ter’s in public administra tion with a concentration in nonprofit management. She is currently the Ex ecutive Director for the Alabama Elk River De velopment Agency.

when she was eight years old, spent several months taking her with him to install appli ances for Sears. She reenrolled in school, took correspondence courses to catch up, and gradu ated on time with her class. Carissa has gone on to get several de grees, and holds an asso ciate degree in music ed ucation, a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in sociology, and a mas

Carissa has had the dream of being an author since she was young and was invited to speak at the Rotary Club. Here is what she said:

“My first book, Seeds for Sharing, started out as a poem that was inspired by my family’s gardening

and sharing experience during the COVID-19 shutdown. After reading through it several times, I thought to myself I fi nally have something original that could be wor thy of publishing. Then I felt a push that can only be explained as a push from God. I spent count less hours researching the publishing process, and I looked through about 200 illustrators before I came across my illustrator, Joshua Wichterich. I sent

him my manuscript and the pictures I had taken of my girls, and he captured the story perfectly.

“My second book, Lem ons for Blessings, was in spired by my daughters’ lemonade stand, Lemon Blessings. In the story, the girls and their daddy come up with a way to thank essential workers

by serving them lem onade. In real life, the girls sold lemonade to raise money for various nonprofits. It’s fiction. You can take liberties,” she said with a smile. (“Daddy,” by the way, is an independent bank construction inspector, musician, and wonder ful storyteller, Garth

Lovvorn, her husband.)

Carissa’s third book, Stitches for Kindness was released on Novem ber 8, and deals with extending kindness to a homeless man. She said further, “In this book, the Shar ing Sisters see a home less man standing out in the cold and want to do something about it. Along with Momma’s help, they make a care package and take it to the local warming shel ter where they are able to give it to the man that they saw earlier that day. It is based on the Scrip ture, “And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:40

Carissa told me that this one was born out of the girls being in the car as they drove along Hwy 72 in Athens and seeing a homeless man. She and Garth have made a point of providing safe opportunities for their girls to give back, and

as a result, her books and projects have caught on and are doing very well. “There are several reoc curring themes in these three books. There is al ways a well-known social issue, there is an age-ap propriate way to make an impact on that issue, there is always a little bit of dress-up fun, and always a lesson based on Scrip ture.

“Through these books, I want to encourage chil dren to look past them selves and be willing to serve others. And I want them to have such a joy ful experience that the desire to serve stays with them for years to come. I think this can be achieved through various ways like incorporating art or do ing a planting project or allowing them to wear dress-up clothes like capes or tutus while they are serving. I have a vi sion for the service proj ect that I want to go along with this book. I hope to partner with individuals, churches, and organiza tions to obtain supplies for care packages.

“I would like to host an

event (or multiple events) where children will have the opportunity to cre ate ‘Thinking about you’ cards and pack care pack ages that would be prayed over and delivered to warming shelters, soup kitchens, etc.”

Carissa’s books have been Amazon best-sell ers, and she has received a personal thank you note from Governor Ivey for her work. She has been able to impact the lives of literally hundreds of kids in North Alabama and

has plans for many more books to come. We are coming up on the season of gratitude as well as the season of giving, and I can think of no finer way to teach our young ones about both than by get ting, reading, and giving Carissa’s latest, Stitches for Kindness. Her books are available in Athens at CEI bookstore, or on Amazon.com. Carissa has some author events coming up, including a booth at the North Ala bama Christmas Mar ket December 3-4, a book signing at Houston Memorial Library on December 10 from 10 a.m. till noon, and she will be speaking at the Shoals Writers’ Guild on December 17. Carissa also, in the true spirit of giving, offers free delivery of personally autographed books to anyone who purchases them in the Athens area. For more information, go to her Facebook page or to www.carissalov vorn.com

Ethics represents a sense of right and wrong, which is reflected both within law and outside of written codes and specifications. It is a continual study, par ticularly considering the perspectives of diverse groups of people. An ac tion or behavior may well be legal and simultane ously be unethical. The key to ethics is avoiding the borderlines and edges between the illegal and morally inappropriate. Ethicists dedicate their lives to the study of such topics within this field, especially in a constantly changing world. One such ethicist is Professor Wal ter Fluker, who was born in 1951 in Vaiden, Missis sippi. Fluker would go on to serve in the U.S. Army as a chaplain's assistant, made several strides in academics, and completed his Ph.D. degree in social ethics at Boston Univer sity in 1988. According to historychangers.com, he would become the assistant professor of Christian eth ics at Vanderbilt Divinity. Since that time, Fluker has written widely on the topic of ethics as well as lectur ing internationally. In the field of ethics, Fluker ar gues that ethics requires that one study how deci sions will impact groups, organizations, and nations as well as various perspec tives of ethics outside of the stream of one’s own social context. Fluke states the reason for such study in the following statement: Most ethical leaders tend to be identified with a particular cultural nar rative, and I take narra

Learning As A Lifestyle

Raising Our Vision Of Ethics In The Postmodern Age

by Eric Betts

Assistant Director, Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics at Athens State University

tive very seriously. Ethi cal leaders are leaders who remember, retell and rebuild their story. I’m from Mississippi by way of Chicago, within the context of larger narratives. So I’m never claiming that I have the whole truth, or that I’m morally superior, but I can name a place called home in terms of my own ethical reflection. The best way to understand Martin Luther King Jr., beyond all of his intel lectual degrees, is to un derstand that he was a Southern black preach er. King identified with a Southern church tradi tion, but he was able to articulate more than one moral tradition in his public presentations. Fluker contends that the study of ethics must not become monolithic. In order to avoid relying on one’s social location, one should make the effort to educate themselves by lis tening to the life stories of those outside of such con texts. This should be done through scientific surveys, community, and interfaith discussions. It is easy to assume that one’s view of ethics is the standard

for all time and all people groups. It is true that there is commonality, such as “do unto others what you would want them to do unto you,” but how that is demonstrated on a practi cal level may have varying degrees of emphasis and expectations across tra ditions. Fluker uses U.S. President Nixon as an ex ample of the failure to see beyond one’s own sense of moral rightness, and the context from which it springs.

People have certain moral assumptions that grow out of their par ticular communities of discourse and practice. Even Nixon would have claimed some kind of moral sense of self. He would claim that he was morally right. So, most leadership has that kind of claim. But the ethi cal dimension that I’m speaking to gives us an opportunity to engage not only our own story, which produces a moral perspective, but with the stories of others.

Within a diverse commu nity, one must recognize that personal blind spots along with useful wisdom

based on individual con texts should be considered. Fluker argues the follow ing: I was born in Missis sippi; I was raised in Illi nois. That’s important. We are constantly reliving our stories. I try to understand character for American citizens within the context of the larger American drama. For African Amer icans you cannot ignore the racialized drama nar rative. Character is there.

The stories among diverse groups must become a constant study because it becomes the founda tion for civility and how we choose to live togeth er with all of our back grounds and sensitivities. Beyond the rules, laws, or dinances, and regulations which are enforceable by the legal system, it is the unenforceable obligations and often the invisible, unspoken rules which be come the glue that holds us all together. What is con sidered normative within one context may be con sidered disrespectful and dehumanizing in another. It may not be enforceable by law, but it should be en forced by elevating the ex pectations and standards within a multiethnic set ting of what is acceptable character and behavior.

According to Fluker, this requires an unending quest for an ideal through self-critique and through reflection upon the exist ing social arrangements and structures. It is al ways elusive, but a goal for which we strive. Ad ditionally, he draws atten tion to the ways in which

materialism, technology, and modernization blinds us to that sense of com monality. This makes our efforts at shared ethics of unenforceable obligations more urgent. It should be prioritized in a way not previously considered.

Flucker states that [b] ecause of global eco nomic reality we already share a lot of space; po litically these questions are going to have to be resolved. We share a common humanity. I’ve seen it more in places that are not blessed with the gifts of technology and science and mod ernization. People un derstand why it’s impor tant to be hospitable to a stranger...it is one of those traditions that is in sore need of repair in the American ethos. While we appreciate the gifts of science, technol ogy, and the material “blessings” of modern ization, we should also consider what we might be losing simultaneously, and study to mitigate the downsides and side ef fects. The changing times in which we live require that we raise our vision of expectations and obliga tions of how we may best live together in a way that respects and honors our common humanity. As we advance technologi cally and scientifically, we should seek ways to extend the borders of what we re gard as normative and ac ceptable patterns of living together on earth. This would make the world a better place for all of us.

Growing is hard and it takes time and effort, allowing the strength of our Savior to dwell within us.

Our first step is personal self-assessment.

• Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test! – 2 Corinthians 13:5

• Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! – Psalm 139:23-24

Once you understand that growth starts with you and only you, then there comes… DESIRE -- the desire to know HIM -- to know His word and to want His presence in your life. Desire must be there first for you to get to spiritual growth. The Scripture tells us to desire, to crave the pure spiritual milk…that by it you may grow up into salvation. In our understanding, we must rid ourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy and envy and slander. Too many times we have an abundance of stuff crowding our soil, our space; the very space meant for God’s growth

The View From The Bridge Test Your Soil To Ensure The Increase!

by Jackie Warner

Career Development Facilitator “Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters

in our lives. Spiritual growth does not just happen. Real spiritual maturity requires us to take action in our lives. Yes, we desire the sincere spiritual milk, but we don’t need to just stay at this stage in our journey.

When we are “going through,” it is really “growing through”! Make room for God’s growth in you. It is easy and comfortable to stay

with what we know. To stop when things become unfamiliar, to turn around when there is no road map. To get mad and blame everyone else because you can’t see what’s coming next.

Cultivate your soil for growth? Crops, trees, and flowers do not grow well when crowded. Our spiritual growth is hindered when we allow things to crowd out our

journey. Jesus warned about the danger of interference - Mark 4:1819 (KJV) If we desire a healthy spiritual crop, we may need to "weed out" some things in our lives. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word/And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke

the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Until Next Time, Be Sincere, Kind and Intentional

Jackie Warner, Community Outreach Specialist

Email: thebridge.us@gmail.com

Check out upcoming events: http://thebridge-us. yolasite.com/

Horse Whispering The Power of Kindness

by Deb Kitchenmaster

When you think of a horse, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it a picture of a horse? A song, a photo, a memory or something else? Do you remember a grooming time, a trail ride, a particular horse show, a fun time at camp riding, or simply rid ing just because? Amid thinking or remembering a time with a horse or a story you read that re ally touched your heart, I want to tell you a true horse story from my life’s album that exposes kind ness and the healing pow er that comes through this very act.

My daughter met a gal who had recently moved into our area. She was a horse lover and had shown Arabian horses in her past. I invited her to

our Thanksgiving table, and she accepted. We saddled up Arianna and Annie to enjoy an after noon ride amongst deer, wild turkeys, pheasants, and prairie wildlife. This opened the door for other times of riding and build ing a mother-daughterlike relationship. This one day after saddling up our horses, she said, “You never let me ride Annie.” Well, they were two dif ferent horses, and each had their own mission statement. Arianna was all about ‘safety’ and Annie was all about teaching and genuine leadership.

Once, I put a two-yearold little girl on Arianna’s back with my daughter walking at her side, and when I asked Ari to walk, she reached over and grabbed my wrist with her

mouth. She didn’t use her teeth, but she was saying, “Get that little girl off my back. She’s not safe.” I giggled and told her she would be fine. Ari walked

off like I asked, but it was like she was tiptoeing! An nie on the other hand had more riders in tears, I lost track of counting. She was our alpha horse and ‘the look’ gave her the space from other horses to eat to her content. She didn’t care what you thought you knew about riding; she had ways to get you in touch with what you honestly knew. She was a leader, and she knew it. If you didn’t know how to be a leader stronger than she, there were issues, and she was determined to teach. I knew this gal could ride and I knew Annie was safe, so I let her ride her. We had crossed the roads and the fields that lead us to open prairie land and woods with lakes and se cret riding trails! The gal requested that she have a smoke. We’re talking about cigarettes here folks. I told her that would be fine, but that she had to dismount first. Safety for riders and for horses is something I am consistently aware of.

What if the wind hit the fire on the end of that pa per and tobacco? It could land on the horse, burn the horse, and off the horse goes with you on its back. Not a pretty scene nor safe for human and horse.

The rider dismounted and I took the reins of her horse, remaining on the back of mine. There she was standing on the ground having a smoke, and she informed me she didn’t think Annie liked her. I listened, then began asking questions. Come to find out, in her head and thoughts, she was in a horse ring like she had been when she showed. She wasn’t relaxed, enjoy ing the trails, in the mo ment, and Annie was not about to let her live in her performance illusion. She was going to teach this beautiful person to relax, take in the beauty of na ture and the God of all this creation, and be in the mo ment. What a gift of kind ness and healing! Then Annie did something. She draped her head over one of this gal’s shoulders. “Wow. Looks to me she’s giving a hug to reassure you that she likes you just fine; she simply wants to teach you to just BE. You can’t make this stuff up, people.

Be kind. Be kind to your self. Be kind to others. This Thanksgiving, enjoy another helping of kind ness. It’s good for you. HAPPY THANKSGIV ING.

Your NEIGHbor, Deb Kitchenmaster 256-426-7947

Regret is a recurring feel ing of sadness or disap pointment about a past decision. This is different from guilt in that the de cision was less obviously wrong at the time—even if it’s clear now. If you strug gle with chronic regret, here are ways to deal with it in a healthy way.

If you made a bad decision, it’s normal and inevitable that you will continue to feel regret about it peri odically. If you never said “I love you” to that friend before you lost them, you will always remember and regret that. As long as you have a functioning memo

Regrets

by Lisa Philippart, Licensed Professional Counselor

ry, you can’t eliminate re gret entirely. But whether your regret is chronic and overwhelming or occasion al and fleeting, it all comes down to how you respond to it. If you try to avoid or get rid of regret, this teach es your mind to fear it. And what your mind fears, it becomes hypervigilant and overly sensitive to. The saying is, “What you resist persists.” So instead of con stantly trying to eliminate or escape your regret, try accepting that you will al ways feel some regret from time to time. When regret emerges, remind yourself that just because it feels bad doesn’t mean it is bad…or that you are bad for feeling it. Practice being willing to feel regret and then get on with life anyway.

Often indulging in self-pity is an unconscious attempt to feel less regret by ratio

nalizing responsibility for what happened. Self-pity feels good in the short term because it temporarily shifts responsibility off you. But usually, it leads to feeling worse in the long run be cause you tend to elaborate on your regret every time it pops up…reinforcing it and making it more likely to show up in the future. Try instead to acknowledge the pity and control the selfpitying. Pity is an emotion you can’t control. But selfpity is a behavior you can. If your immediate response to regretting emotions is to feel sorry for yourself, you can decide to control that.

A big part of moving past regret is forgiving yourself. Most people misunderstand what forgiveness really is. They assume it’s a feeling (the relief of being for given) or a single decision (forgiving myself). In reali

ty, forgiveness is a commit ment, not a single decision or feeling. Forgiving your self means committing to letting go of the impulse to replay your past mistakes when you are reminded of them. It means taking re sponsibility for your atten tion and where you choose to put it. Think about it like this…words are just the first step. The real work of forgiveness is making the decision each and every time to let go of the memo ry of hurt and refocus your

attention on moving for ward. The same is true with forgiving yourself.

Most people assume that regret is about the past. Viewed correctly, regret is about how you want to live your life in the future.

Regret is your mind try ing to be helpful, specifi cally, you feel regret about past mistakes so that you can avoid them in the fu ture. In my opinion, regret is your brain nudging you to clarify your values! Try this -- when you feel regret and start thinking of the “should-haves,” ask your self instead, “What value is my regret trying to remind me of?” Is it you want to tell people in your life that you love them more often? Is it that you want to be more courageous, or to set better boundaries? When regret strikes, flip your should-haves into wanttos. Don’t think of regrets as trying to keep you a pris oner of the past. They are trying to move you forward into a better future.

Lisa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor, providing mental health services through her own private practice in Madison, Alabama.

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

- Lucille Ball

The Alternative Approach Happy Digestion

by Roy Williams

It is that time of year again, when we seem driven to over eat. So many celebrations, so much good food, and too much temptation. Add that to the changes in the types of foods we eat and it could make for a very unhappy di gestive system, which may result in acid reflux, indiges tion, gas, bloating, belching, constipation, and/or diarrhea.

With a society that already has many digestive issues such as colitis, ulcers, IBS, IBSC, polyps, Crohn’s and even colorectal cancer, maybe its time to make some simple but proven effective changes. All the medical profession and pharmaceutical industry seem to offer are drugs to treat the symptoms without addressing the actual issues.

My goal with this article is to help you get through the holi days without the frustration and embarrassment of an an gry digestive system. By fol lowing a few simple instruc tions and taking some really powerful digestive support supplements, you could actu ally enjoy the food, family, and friends, which make this such a special time of year, without throwing your diges tive system out of balance.

Let’s start with some com mon-sense tips for healthier eating habits. This method, which we have used for years, will actually allow you to en

joy your food more, prevent weight gain, and support your digestive health. It starts with a decision to eat slower. When we are confronted with so much tasty food, we have a tendency to eat too fast. When we eat too fast, we will almost always eat too much. The reason is that it takes twenty minutes for your brain to receive the message that you have eaten, which can result in over eating. Put too much food in the stomach, and you are asking for an up set stomach, drowsiness, and indigestion.

What is the dominant reason we choose the foods we con sume. For most people, it is taste. Most of us eat for taste, so allow me to ask a question. How do we taste our food? The taste buds are located on your tongue. Doesn’t it make sense to eat those wonderful tasting foods slower, chew them more completely, and enjoy the flavor longer?

Remember, digestion be gins in the mouth. Chewing, breaks your food into smaller pieces so it is easier to ex tract the nutrients as it passes through the small and large intestines. While the food is in your mouth, your body produces saliva which also triggers your body to produce enzymes that are necessary to break down fats, carbohy drates, and proteins. Eating

slower will help you to eat less, enjoy the flavors more, and strengthen your digestive system.

To help prevent most diges tive problems, we suggest taking at least one Super Enzyme capsule with your meal. Most of the foods we eat today are so highly pro cessed and preserved that the naturally occurring enzymes in our foods have been de stroyed, putting excess stress on your body. Taking one Super Enzyme capsule with your meal can reduce that stress giving you relief from many digestive issues such as IBS, indigestion, and acid reflux.

Finally, we must address the gut. The health of the Ameri can digestive system is at tacked by things that destroy

the natural microbes (good bacteria) that improve di gestion, support the immune system, and protect against inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, ulcers, diverticulitis, and even colorectal cancer.

The most common things that kill the good bacteria are chlorine, antibiotics, and oth er prescription and over the counter drugs.

Over the years we have tried many probiotics, which are the living microorganisms that can improve digestion. Some were pretty helpful and some not so much. Finally, we discovered one called PB8, which has 14-billion live bacteria that has helped thou sands improve their digestive health.

My wife and I take one Super Enzyme and one PB-8 with

our first and last meal each day and it stopped the gas bloating, belching and burp ing. But even more impres sive, hundreds of our custom ers report no longer having problems with IBS or IBS with constipation, remission of colitis, indigestion, acid reflux, and improvements of overall digestive health as verified by better medical re ports.

It all boils down to support ing your digestive system, es pecially during the holidays. Eating slower and making a habit of chewing each bite more completely and to prac tice eating less especially dur ing the holidays is powerful advice. Take the supplements suggested, and make this the best most enjoyable holidays ever, and may God bless all of you with abundant health. Take this article by Herbs & More in Athens or NHC Herb Shop in Killen, to receive a 15% discount off the products suggested or check out our website, www.nhcherbs.com, or call 256-757-0660.

Your friend in health, Roy P. Williams

Forfeiting Grace

by Anna Hamilton

continued from page 13

to cling to hurt, not the love that could be in my life. I was desperately holding on to bitterness in order to feel something when I should have been focusing on the love.

Jonah realized he was holding onto worthless idols and totally disregarding the grace that could be his and the grace he was to offer the people of Nineveh. He knew he had to offer his life as a sacrifice to God and do it with thanksgiving in his heart. We are called to not be of ourselves but to be of Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

With thanks, Jonah promised to fulfill his work for the Lord. When we take Christ in our hearts and accept him as our savior, we promise to be lights in this world and spread the gospel to all we encounter. Our soul purpose as Christians is to help those around us know the love of Christ, and when we live in such a way that forfeits the grace we have received, it makes it impossible to spread

the word of the Lord. People around us can tell if we are living a life that reflects the love of God.

Jonah, just like us, knows that salvation comes from the Lord. There is absolutely nothing we can do on our own to achieve salvation. It is strictly the grace, love, and mercy given to us by God that leads to salvation. If we continue to hold onto the worthless idols in our lives, we will continue to forfeit the grace and ultimately the salvation Gad has so freely given to us.

As 2022 is quickly coming to an end, I urge you to stop clinging to the things of this world, the worthless idols in your life, and accept the grace so freely given by the Lord. He wants his children to live in happiness and peace and once you redeem that grace in your life, the peace and happiness will come.

This week’s recipe is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving meal. I personally think it is one of the best autumn recipes around. It is absolutely delicious and sure to be a crowd pleaser!

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7